Manipur outfit joins peace pact

Ibobi Singh

Imphal, Oct. 28 : Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh today welcomed 43 members of the United Tribal Liberation Army, including its president, who have shown eagerness to ink a suspension of operations agreement with the army.
The group, which operates from the Vangai range and Nungba in Tamenglong district and Jiribam in Imphal East, recently approached the 57 Mountain Division, based at Leimakhong of Sadar Hills for the suspension of operation agreement.
Though both the state government and the army accepted the request, the group is yet the ink the agreement. The process is under way, the army said.
When UTLA signs the pact, the number of groups to come under the peace agreement will go up to 20.
Nineteen groups under two umbrella organisations — the Kuki National Organisation and the United Peoples Front — are now living in designated camps. UTLA cadres will be kept at Uchathol of Jiribam under the protection of the army.
To welcome the group, the state government and the army organised a “homecoming” ceremony at the 1st Manipur Rifle auditorium in Imphal city today.
Ibobi Singh urged the group to follow the ground rules of the suspension of agreement and not to indulge in extortion and violence.
“The groups in the suspension of operation agreement are often found extorting money and indulging in violence. The government and security forces will not tolerate such things,” Ibobi Singh said.
The director-general of police, Yumnam Joykumar Singh, said with UTLA entering a peace pact, disturbances were likely to decrease in construction projects along the railway line from Jiribam to Imphal.
The GOC 57 Mountain Division Binoy Poonen said more splinter groups would soon enter into similar agreements.